Bandon Coastline- Bandon, OR

Oregon absolutely has one of the most dramatic coastlines in the United States. Sandy beaches give way to sea stacks and spires, ancient giants emerging from the surf. Driving the Oregon coastline should be on everyone’s roadtrip shortlist. Bandon is known primarily for being a difficult to reach golf destination, that is worth the journey. Which is unequivocally true. However, if you make the trek, you will also be rewarded with stunning scenery.

Just outside of the town of Bandon itself, there are two scenic areas that offer excellent vistas. At the end of 8th Street, there is a small parking area that leads to a boardwalk. This will take you directly to the beach, in all its sea stacked glory. Up and down the beach, the Bandon Needles sit stationary in the sand and sea, ready to great you.

Looking south, you have a view of the Sisters rock formation, as well as a distant view of the Coquille River inlet and lighthouse. Front and center on the beach is one of the more well known coastal formations, Table Rock, which indeed does look like a mossy table top. It is favored by local and migratory birds, so if it’s your lucky day, you may see an elusive Tufted Puffin. Unfortunately, the only puffins we saw were on marketing materials over at Bandon Dunes.

Stroll down to Coquille Point, where the beach narrows to a small passageway, hemmed in by rock formations and a jumble of mostly natural sea debris, including large trees. It is a short, but scenic walk, and offers a great vantage point.

Next, stop at the Face Rock State Scenic Viewpoint for an excellent cliff walk, with views of Face Rock as well as Cat and Kittens. Made of volcanic rock, these silent sentinels were formed by millions of years of wave action. Softer marine sediments eroded away, exposing the basalt beauties.

Leave at least a few hours to explore the Bandon coast, as it is breathtaking. Summer will give you your best opportunity for sunny skies, but it will likely still be cold. And windy, because Bandon is always windy. But it is absolutely worth whatever you have to do to get here.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Save

Save